Bruins Prospect John Beecher Sets Clear Goal For Upcoming Season

After one-plus season playing for the Boston Bruins AHL affiliate, John Beecher wants to move up a level.

And with several openings on the Bruins roster heading into this season, the 22-year-old knows exactly where he could slot in.

Beecher made it no secret Thursday after the first on-ice practice session of Bruins training camp at Warrior Ice Arena that he’s eyeing the fourth line center role, left vacated due to the departure of Tomas Nosek in free agency.

“Absolutely,” Beecher told reporters on if his goal is to take that spot. “I think everybody at camp is fighting for a spot and I think if I’m to contribute to the team this year and be able to help them that’s probably where I’m going to do the best. It’s not a role that I have any problem playing.

“I’ve played on so many high-powered offenses — you look back at my time at USA and then over at Michigan, always kind of playing that power forward role, being heavy, being hard to play against in the D-zone. Definitely something I take a lot of pride in.”

Beecher, who the Bruins selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft, went through growing pains during his first full pro season with Providence. He tallied nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 61 games.

The Bruins have seen positive growth from Beecher, though, putting him in line to compete for an NHL job this preseason. Boston even got a glimpse of what its fourth line could look like Thursday by having Beecher skate with Milan Lucic and Jakub Lauko.

Beecher liked the way the trio performed together and it was a treat for him to play next to a long established veteran like Lucic.

“It was good,” Beecher said. “Obviously, first day just trying to get up and down the ice. But I thought we were moving the puck well and being able to make some plays. Obviously, playing with a guy like (Lucic) is pretty cool first day of camp. It was fun.”

Beecher is no stranger to playing alongside Lauko. He said the two played a little bit together last season during their time in Providence.

“Obviously a great player. Extremely fast,” Beecher said. “So, I think we can complement each other pretty well that way getting up and down the ice.”

While Lucic is likely to not suit up for Boston’s first preseason game Sunday against the New York Rangers, it offers Beecher and Lauko a chance to try to grab an early hold on those fourth-line spots.